Nava likely to be in left when Series hits St. Louis

By Ian Browne and Jason Mastrodonato / MLB.com

BOSTON -- Despite a strong regular season, left fielder Daniel Nava has been a bit of a forgotten man in the postseason. Coincidence or not, the Red Sox entered Game 1 of the World Series with a 6-0 record in games started by Jonny Gomes.

While Gomes got the nod on Wednesday night and is likely to start Game 2 against righty phenom Michael Wacha, Nava should resurface when the series shifts to St. Louis for the middle three games.

"There's going to be more ground to cover in St. Louis," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "When you look at the splits between [Lance] Lynn and [Joe] Kelly, they're a little bit more pronounced than the first two guys. That's a scenario we're strongly considering. How many games [Nava will play] remains to be seen, but that's another thing we're factoring in, is how much ground to cover there."

While Gomes plays a strong left field at Fenway, Nava's added range is helpful in bigger parks.

"Jonny has done an excellent job in the time that he started, evident by the way that we've performed as a team, but I can't single him out as the reason why," said Farrell. "He plays left field extremely well here [at Fenway]. Nava [is] on board and very much a team player. He admits and recognizes to his credit that this is about us as a team and not an individual."

In other lineup news, David Ross got the nod behind home plate, marking the third straight time he has caught ace Jon Lester.

Fatigued Buchholz thinks he'll start Game 4

BOSTON -- Although John Farrell hasn't officially revealed the order of his starting pitchers for the first two World Series games in St. Louis, right-hander Clay Buchholz told reporters on Wednesday that he is being lined up for Game 4 on Sunday.

That means Jake Peavy would vault ahead of Buchholz and pitch Game 3 on Saturday. Air time is 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX, with first pitch slated for 8:07 p.m.

The reason for the switch is that Buchholz, who missed three months earlier this season with a right bursa sac strain, is dealing with shoulder fatigue.

"It's just a little dead [arm] at certain points," said Buchholz. "It's not a pinpoint straight point where you say, 'That's where it is.'"

The fatigue perhaps explains why Buchholz hasn't looked like himself in any of his three postseason starts, posting a 5.40 ERA and giving up a .284 opponents' batting average. Buchholz has a no-decision in all three of his starts.

Before Game 1 of the World Series, Farrell was asked if Buchholz had a health issue.

"Not to the point of keeping him out of starting," said Farrell.

The difference between Buchholz pitching Game 3 or 4 is considerable, considering the following: If he had started Game 3, he could have come back for Game 7.

By pitching Game 4, it means he's likely to start just once in the World Series.

"That's being factored in," said Farrell. "I mean, I have to stay conscious of that, given the last two starts when he's hit the wall, it's happened pretty quick. All that is being factored in."

Buchholz has started fairly strong in all three postseason starts, but by the middle innings, he's completely lost his rhythm.

The third time through the batting order, Buchholz has been hit at a .529 clip. From pitches 61-75, batters are hitting .264 against him. From pitches 76-90, he's given up six hits in nine at-bats.

Peavy turned in a strong performance against the Rays in Game 4 of the Division Series, giving up one run over 5 2/3 innings. But he struggled mightily against the Tigers in Game 4 of the ALCS, allowing five hits and seven runs over three-plus innings.

Bogaerts at third for first World Series start

BOSTON -- At the age of 21, Aruba native Xander Bogaerts isn't the youngest player of Dutch descent to appear in a World Series.

It's hard to forget what Curaçao native Andruw Jones did for the Braves in 1996, belting two homers in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium as a 19-year-old.

Jones actually texted Bogaerts after the Red Sox won the pennant.

"We talk, but not every day. Probably two or three times a month," said Bogaerts. "The day we won it, probably the day after, he just told me, 'Congrats and go for it.'"

Bogaerts is definitely getting that chance. It was a surprise to nobody that he started at third base for the Red Sox in Game 1.

Manager John Farrell made the switch beginning with Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, inserting Bogaerts in place of Will Middlebrooks.

The biggest challenge for Bogaerts is that he's still adjusting to life at third base. His natural position is shortstop.

"I've been talking to [infield instructor Brian] Butterfield about this. I'm normally a shortstop," Bogaerts said. "I always get my [pregame] work at shortstop and then at third. But if I get it at third first, something feels different. Third base, you've got to stay low, so I feel like I'm not doing anything at third. So that's why I talked to him about a new routine, so I take a few at short, get feeling happy, and then move to third."

Farrell couldn't be any happier with the spark Bogaerts has provided for his team.

It isn't every day that a 21-year-old starts Game 1 of a World Series.

"Well, what's not normal is Xander Bogaerts," Farrell said. "He's not a typical 21-year-old. We've talked a lot about the poise, the presence, the composure in which he plays. Even in the tightest moments, the smile never seems to leave his face. He might be flying on the inside, but externally there's no outward anxious moments. And he certainly performed much the same."

Worth noting

• The Red Sox and Dodgers have made another trade, though this one isn't quite as bold as the last. Wednesday, the Red Sox acquired utility man Alex Castellanos from Los Angeles for outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker.

Hazelbaker has displayed power and speed in the Minors, though he's struggled to hit left-handed pitching. In Castellanos, the Sox landed a talented 27-year-old who can play all three outfield positions as well as first, second and third base. While he had a down year in the Minors, Castellanos is just a year removed from hitting .328 with a 1.010 OPS for Triple-A Albuquerque.

• The Red Sox led the American League in several categories this season, but the one they finished last in was team meetings. With solid chemistry and few losing streaks, Farrell didn't force a meeting just to have one.

"Well, we meet before every series, as we're getting ready to here [before Game 1]," said Farrell. "It's also a time for us to check in on some other things that might not be relevant to the game that night, as reminders.

"But other than the first day of Spring Training and Opening Day in New York [there wasn't a team meeting]. This has been a group that has done a great job of policing themselves. They've committed to one another. And there's a clear framework of maybe expected and accepted behavior. And guys have done a great job of that. So other than those two timelines, there's not been a team meeting, no."